Recording/reproducing device capable of avoiding or reducing various malfunctions caused by dropping

ABSTRACT

A drop sensor detects a drop of a device. When the drop of the device is detected, a sub CPU allows a counter to count a drop time. When the device drops for a predetermined time or more, the sub CPU controls a regulator so that the regulator forcibly disconnects an electric power to be supplied to a hard disc, and writes a drop occurrence flag into a nonvolatile memory. When the power supply is again turned on, a main CPU allows a display section to display information indicating that the power supply is disconnected due to the drop of the device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a portable recording/reproducing devicethat records or reproduces information about a video signal, an audiosignal or the like. The invention particularly relates to therecording/reproducing device that are capable of avoiding or reducingvarious malfunctions occurred in the device when the device is dropped.

2. Description of the Related Art

Since hard disc drives, which are one kind of magnetic disc devices,have a comparatively susceptibility to external impacts, the use of thehard disc drives as recording media of portable electronic devices isavoided. In recent years, however, as hard discs are miniaturized andhave larger capacity, the hard discs are designed so as to relive theexternal impacts. For this reason, the hard discs can be used asrecording media of various recording/reproducing devices such asportable music players and camcorders.

Users possibly drop portable recording/reproducing devices by accident.When the hard disc drives is dropped, a magnetic head thereof bumpagainst a magnetic disc surface so that recording data and moreover thehard disc itself are possibly damaged. Therefore, for example, JapanesePatent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-263853 discloses that when a dropsensor detects a drop of a device having a hard disc drive, a magnetichead is moved to a home position (shipping zone).

In the case where a recording/reproducing devices having a hard discdrive drops, even if a magnetic head is simply moved to a home position,a user is unsure about a check whether the device operates normallyafter the drop. Further, if the device becomes defective, informationabout troubleshooting is insufficient.

On the other hands, portable recording/reproducing devices areintentionally moved a lot or unintentionally moved a lot according tostatuses of use. For this reason, it is desirable that the devices havea constitution such that a false detection of drop is avoided when thedevices are not actually dropped.

Further, in the case where recording/reproducing devices drop and thusthe recording of data are interrupted, it is preferable that the datawhich has been recorded until the interruption can be reproduced.

Furthermore, in the case where recording/reproducing devices aredropped, it is preferable that not only hard disc drives but also theother portions of the devices are prevented from being damaged. Forexample, even if hard disc drives (recording/reproducing sections) ofcamcorders are prevented from being damaged, when imaging lenses aredamaged, the camcorders cannot fulfill their functions. Therefore, it isdesired that the damage of the imaging lenses is prevented.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is devised in order to solve the above problems,and its object is to provide a recording/reproducing device having ahard disc drive in which when the device is dropped, damages of amagnetic head and a disc thereof can be prevented and simultaneously auser can understand a situation which has occurred in the device and canobjectively understand the occurred situation as data. It is an objectof the present invention to provide the recording/reproducing devicethat can avoid a false detection of drop when the device is not dropped.

It is another object of the present invention to provide therecording/reproducing device having a recording/reproducing section thatcan reproduce data which has been recorded until interruption even whenthe recording of the data is interrupted due to the drop of the device.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide arecording/reproducing device having an imaging lens that can prevent adamage of the imaging lens when the device is dropped.

In order to solve the above conventional technical problems, the presentinvention provides a recording/reproducing device that records orreproduces information, including: a hard disc drive (4) that recordsthe information; a display section (8); a power supply (12, 19 thatsupplies an electric power to the hard disc drive so as to bring therecording/reproducing device into an operating state; a power supplybutton (20 c) that gives instructions for turning on and disconnectingthe power supply; a drop sensor (13) that detects a drop of therecording/reproducing device; a time counting section (14) that countsdrop time when the drop sensor detects the drop of therecording/reproducing device based on a drop detected signal; a powersupply control section (14) that, when the time counting section countsa predetermined time or more for which the recoding/reproducing devicedrops, controls the power supply so that the electric power to besupplied to the hard disc drive is forcibly disconnected and therecording/reproducing device is brought into an inoperable state; amemory (15); a writing section (14) that, when the power supply controlsection forcibly disconnects the electric power to be supplied to thehard disc drive, writes a flag representing that the electric power isforcibly disconnected into the memory; and a display control section(11) that, when the power supply button is pressed down by a user'soperation to turn on the power supply and the flag is written into thememory, controls the display section so that information showing thatthe power supply is disconnected due to the drop of therecording/reproducing device is displayed thereon.

According to the present invention, in the recording/reproducing devicehaving a hard disc drive, when the device is dropped, any damage of amagnetic head and a disc are prevented and simultaneously a user canunderstand what has happened in the device and can objectivelyunderstand the situation in the device as data. According to the presentinvention, a false detection of a drop can be avoided when the devicewas not dropped.

It is preferable that the time counting section counts a total drop timefrom a time at which the recording/reproducing device starts dropping toa time at which the drop stops, and the writing section writes dataabout the total drop time or a drop distance calculated based on thetotal drop time into the memory.

It is preferable that the writing section writes the number of thedisconnection times of the power supply due to the drop of therecording/reproducing device into the memory.

A setting section (14), that selectively sets a first mode that makesthe forcible disconnection of the electric power to be supplied to thehard disc drive by the power supply control section effective or asecond mode that makes it ineffective, is preferable provided.

In order to solve the above conventional technical problems, the presentinvention provides a recording/reproducing device that records orreproduces information; including: a recording/reproducing section (4)that records the information; a file creating section (5) that creates afile with a predetermined format where an actual data file containingvideo data is pared with a management information file as managementinformation of the actual data file; a file recording management section(11) that is provided with a first folder for storing the file with thepredetermined format and a second folder for storing another file asfolders to be used for recording the information in therecording/reproducing section, and manages files to store the file withthe predetermined format in the first folder when the file with thepredetermined format is recorded in the recording/reproducing section; apower supply (12, 19) that supplies an electric power to therecording/reproducing section, the file creating section and the filerecording management section so as to bring the recording/reproducingdevice into an operating state; a power supply button (20 c) that givesinstructions for turning on and disconnecting the power supply; a dropsensor (13) that detects a drop of the recording/reproducing device; atime counting section (14, 16) that, when the drop sensor detects thedrop of the recording/reproducing device based on a drop detectedsignal, counts a drop time; and a power supply control section (14)that, when the time counting section counts a predetermined time or morefor which the recording/reproducing device drops, controls the powersupply so that the electric power to be supplied to therecording/reproducing section, the file creating section and the filerecording management section is forcibly disconnected, and therecording/reproducing device is brought into an inoperable state. Afterthe power supply is turned on by pressing the power supply buttonaccording to a user's operation so that the recording/reproducing deviceis brought into the operating state, when the management informationfile to be pared with the actual data file created at the time offorcibly disconnecting the electric power is not normally created, thefile recording management section manages the recording of the file sothat the actual data file is stored in the second folder.

According to the recording/reproducing device having therecording/reproducing section, even when the recording of data isinterrupted by the drop of the device, the data recorded until theinterruption can be reproduced.

It is preferable that the actual data file is an MOI file based on anSD-Video specifications, and the management information file is an MODfile based on the SD-Video specifications.

In order to solve the conventional technical problems, the presentinvention provides a recording/reproducing device that records orreproduces a video signal, including: an imaging section (3) that imagesan object; an imaging lens (31) that condenses light onto the imagingsection; a lens cover (32) that covers the imaging lens; a drivingsection (33, 34) that drives the lens cover into an open state where theimaging lens is not covered or a close state where the imaging lens iscovered; a recording/reproducing section (4) that records or reproducesa video signal obtained by the imaging by the imaging section; a dropsensor (13) that detects a drop of the recording/reproducing device; atime counting section (14, 16), when the drop sensor detects the drop ofthe recording/reproducing device based on a drop detected signal, countsa drop time; and a control section (14) that, when the time countingsection counts a predetermined time or more for which therecording/reproducing device drops, controls the driving section so thatthe lens cover in the open state is brought into the close state.

According to the present invention, in the recording/reproducing devicehaving an imaging lens, when the device is dropped, a damage of theimaging lens can be prevented.

It is preferable that the device further includes a power supply (12,19) that supplies an electric power to at least the imaging section andthe recording/reproducing section so as to bring therecording/reproducing device into an operating state; and a power supplybutton (20 c) that gives instructions for turning on and disconnectingthe power supply. It is also preferable that the control sectioncontrols the driving section so that the lens cover in the close stateis brought into the open state in cooperation with the instruction forturning on the power supply by pressing down the power supply buttonaccording to a user's operation and the bringing of therecording/reproducing device into the operating state.

The nature, principle and utility of the invention will become moreapparent from the following detailed description when read inconjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a first embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram illustrating file recording managementaccording to the first embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a drop detecting process according tothe first embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of data to be recorded in anonvolatile memory according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a power supply disconnecting processaccording to the first embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating from a power supply activatingprocess to an ordinary process according to the first embodiment;

FIGS. 7A to 7C are diagrams illustrating examples of messages to bedisplayed on a display section according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating a second embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a portion in detail according to thesecond embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a flowchart for explaining an operation of the secondembodiment; and

FIG. 11 is a flowchart for explaining an operation of the secondembodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A recording/reproducing device of the present invention is explainedbelow with reference to accompanying drawings.

First Embodiment

A first embodiment of the present invention is a recording/reproducingdevice having a hard disc drive, and an example of therecording/reproducing device is a camcorder. The present invention isnot limited to camcorders and thus can be applied to allrecording/reproducing devices such as recording/reproducing devicesdedicated to music having hard discs (or another recording/reproducingsections). In the first embodiment, a constitution is such that when thedevice is dropped, damages of a magnetic head and a disc thereof areprevented and simultaneously a user can understand a situation which hasoccurred in the device and can objectively understand the occurredsituation as data. At the same time, the recording/reproducing device isconstituted so that a false detection of drop can be avoided when thedevice is not actually dropped. Further, the device is constituted sothat when recoding of data is interrupted due to a drop of therecording/reproducing device, the data that has been recorded until theinterruption can be reproduced.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the recording/reproducing deviceaccording to the first embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, a light signal from an object is input into an imagingelement 1 of an imaging section 3 via an imaging lens, not shown. Theimaging element 1 is, for example, a CCD (Charge Coupled Device). Theimaging element 1 converts the input light signal into an electricsignal so as to supply it to a camera signal processing section 2 of theimaging section 3. The camera signal processing section 2 gives apredetermined signal process to the input electric signal so as tooutput it as a video signal. The video signal output from the camerasignal processing section 2 is input into a recording section 5 and aterminal a of a switching section 7.

The recording section 5 converts the input video signal into a digitalsignal so as to compress data using the MPEG2 compressing system, forexample. A processing system of an audio signal not explained, but therecording section 5 compresses also an audio signal input from amicrophone, not shown, and creates actual data composed of video dataand audio data. The recording section 5 generates management informationwhich is used for reproducing the compressed data of the video signalbased on photographing date information and time information about filedata from a main CPU 11 or a sub CPU 14. In the first embodiment, therecording section 5 creates a file based on the SD-Video specificationsaccording to the actual data and the management information. TheSD-Video specifications are composed of an MOD file as an MPEG file ofvideo data and audio data and an MOI file as a management informationfile.

The recording section 5 is a file creating section that creates a filehaving a predetermined format where the actual data file including thevideo data is pared with the management information file as managementinformation of the actual data file. In the first embodiment, theSD-Video specifications are used as an example, but the invention is notlimited to this.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram illustrating the recording management ofthe file to be stored in a hard disc 40 of a hard disc drive 4. The filerecording is managed by the main CPU 11. That is to say, the main CPU 11is a file recording management section. A folder 401 for recording thefile based on the SD-Video specifications and another folder 402 areprovided into the hard disc 40. The folder 402 is explained later.Starting through end of one-time photographing in a camcorder isdetermined as a unit. The recording section 5 creates one file based onthe SD-Video specifications, and the file is recorded into the folder401 in the hard disc 40 by control of the main CPU 11. FIG. 2illustrates a state that two files F11 and F12 are recorded. As shown inFIG. 2, the files F11 and F12 have paired MOD file F_(MOD) and MOI fileF_(MOI). The MOI file F_(MOI) is used for accurately executing specialreproduction such as fast-speed reproduction and reverse reproductionwhen the MOD file F_(MOD), for example, is reproduced.

With reference to FIG. 1, when the file recorded in the hard disc drive4 is reproduced by control of the main CPU 11, the data in thereproduced file are input into a reproducing section 6. The reproducingsection 6 decodes the compressed data so as to execute a reproducingprocess on the data such as D/A conversion and supply the data to aterminal b of the switching section 7. The switching section 7 selectsany one of the terminals a and b according to the control of the mainCPU 11, and outputs any one of a video signal generated by a currentphotographing from the imaging section 3 and a video signal reproducedfrom the hard disc drive 4. The video signal output by the switchingsection 7 is input into a character superimposing section 9 so thatcharacters such as letters and symbols are superimposed on the videosignal by the control of the main CPU 11 as the need arises. The videosignal is displayed on a display section 8 such as a liquid crystalpanel. An output from the character superimposing section 9 is suppliedalso to a video output terminal 10, so that the video signal can beoutput to the outside.

The main CPU 11 is used for entirely controlling therecording/reproducing device. The main CPU 11 is connected to aninput/output interface 17, an infrared ray light-receiving section 18and an audio synthesizing section 22. The functions of the input/outputinterface 17, the infrared ray light-receiving section 18 and the audiosynthesizing section 22 are explained later. The portion from theimaging section 3 to the infrared ray light-receiving section 18 whichis surrounded by a chain double-dashed line is a main section 100 whichoperates when the power supply of the recording/reproducing device isturned on. A regulator 12 is connected to a battery 19, and theregulator 12 converts DC electricity from the battery 19 into a voltageso as to supply the voltage to the respective sections (electricalenergy). The regulator 12 and the battery 19 are the power supply of thedevice. The electric power (power supply line) to be supplied from theregulator 12 to the respective sections is shown by a thick solid line.The electric power is supplied only to the hard disc drive 4 and themain CPU 11 in the drawing, but the electric power is supplied to therespective sections requiring the electric power such as the imagingsection 3, the recording section 5, the reproducing section 6, theswitching section 7, the character superimposing section 9 and thedisplay section 8.

The recording/reproducing device in FIG. 1 includes a drop sensor 13,the sub CPU 14, a nonvolatile memory 15, a counter 16 and an operatingsection 20. The portion, which is composed of the drop sensor 13, thesub CPU 14, the nonvolatile memory 15 and the counter 16 and issurrounded by a chain double-dashed line, is a sub section 200 to whichthe electric power is supplied from the regulator 12 also when the powersupply of the recording/reproducing device is turned off. The dropsensor 13 is, for example, an acceleration sensor which measures a levelof an acceleration in three axial directions, namely, X, Y and Z axialdirections, and detects whether the device is dropping. Concretely,since the acceleration in the X, Y and Z axial directions becomesapproximately zero in a state that the device is freely dropping, thedrop sensor can detect whether the device is dropping based on theacceleration in the three axial directions.

The detected output from the drop sensor 13 is input into the sub CPU14. The sub CPU 14 is connected to the nonvolatile memory 15, thecounter 16 and the operating section 20. The functions of thenonvolatile memory 15 and the counter 16 are explained later. Thecounter 16 is separated from the sub CPU 14 in this example, but the subCPU 14 may contain the counter 16. The operating section 20 includes,for example, a setting button 20 a, a cursor button 20 b and a powersupply button 20 c. When the power of the recording/reproducing deviceis instructed to be turned on by pressing down the power supply button20 c, the sub CPU 14 controls the regulator 12 so that the electricpower is supplied to the respective sections of the main section 100. Asa result, the recording/reproducing device is brought into an operatingstate. Even if the power supply of the recording/reproducing device isdisconnected, the electric power is supplied from the regulator 12 tothe sub section 200 as long as the battery 19 is not removed. As aresult, the sub sections 200 is in the operating state.

A device drop detecting process is explained below. FIG. 3 is aflowchart illustrating the drop detecting process according to the firstembodiment. The drop detecting process shown in FIG. 3 is executed bythe sub CPU 14 when the main section 100 is in the operating state. InFIG. 3, the sub CPU 14 determines at step S1 whether the device is inthe drop state based on a detected output (drop detected signal) fromthe drop sensor 13. When the detected output from the drop sensor 13 isnot more than a predetermined threshold value which is approximatelyzero, the sub CPU 14 determines that the device is in the drop state.When the determination is made that the device is not in the drop state(No), the sequence returns to step S1. When the determination is madethat the device is in the drop state (Yes), the sub CPU 14 allows thecounter 16 to count the time from the starting of the drop state at stepS2 so that the measurement of the drop time is started. The sub CPU 14and the counter 16 are a time counting section that counts the droptime.

Thereafter, the sub CPU 14 determines at step S3 whether the drop ofdevice stopped within the time corresponding to a predetermineddistance, for example, 20 cm based on the value counted by the counter16. When determination is made at step S3 that the drop of the devicestopped within the time corresponding to 20 cm (Yes), the sequence goesto step S7. When the determination is made that the drop of the devicedid not stop within the time corresponding to 20 cm (No), the sequencegoes to step S4.

The sub CPU 14 determines at step S4 whether the device has dropped forthe time corresponding to 20 cm based on the value counted by thecounter 16. When the determination is made at step S4 that the devicehas not yet dropped for the time corresponding to 20 cm (No), thesequence returns to step S4. When the determination is made that thedevice has dropped for the time corresponding to 20 cm (Yes), the subCPU 14 executes a power supply disconnecting process at step S5. Thepower supply disconnecting process at step S5 is explained specificallylater. The power supply is disconnected when the device has dropped forthe time corresponding to 20 cm because the drop guarantee of the harddisc drive 4 as the specification of the device is up to 30 cm. The droptime at which the power supply should be cut (drop distance) may be setsuitably according to the height of the drop guarantee.

The sub CPU 14 determines whether the drop of the device has stopped atstep S6. When the determination is made at step S6 that the drop has notyet stopped (No), the sequence returns to step S6. When thedetermination is made at step S6 that the drop has already stopped(Yes), the sub CPU 14 stops the counting of the time by means of thecounter 16 at step S7, and ends the measurement of the drop time. Thedrop time means total drop time from the time of the detection of thedevice drop to the time of stopping of the drop. The sub CPU 14calculates the drop distance of the device at step S8. The drop distanceL can be calculated according to the following equation (1) where agravitational acceleration is designated by g and the drop time isdesignated by t:L=gt ²/2  (1)

The sub CPU 14 writes data about the drop into the nonvolatile memory 15at step S9 and ends the process. The data about the drop is, forexample, the number of times of detecting the drop of the device anddisconnecting the power supply, a drop history including the drop dateand the drop distance, and a drop occurrence flag. The drop occurrenceflag is explained later. The drop distance may be the drop distancecalculated at step S8 in FIG. 3, but may be also drop distances obtainedby dividing the drop distance into plural stages. For example, the dropdistance is divided into less than 20 cm at which the power supply isnot disconnected, from not less than 20 cm to less than 40 cm, from notless than 40 cm to less than 60 cm, from not less than 60 cm to lessthan 80 cm, from not less than 80 cm to less than 100 cm, and not lessthan 100 cm.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of the data to be recordedin the nonvolatile memory in the first embodiment. FIG. 4 shows oneexample of the data about the drop written into the nonvolatile memory15 as a list format for easy understanding. The drop history may includea predetermined number (for example, three) of data set from the latestone. Less than 20 cm may be eliminated from the drop history, and thusthe history to be stored may be set suitably. The data about the dropincludes the number of the power supply disconnecting times, the dropdate, the drop distance and the drop occurrence flag, but the data mayinclude at least one of them or includes another additional data. Thedrop distance is stored because when the device breaks down, informationabout an occurred situation, more specifically, whether the devicedrops, or if the device drops, how long the device drops is desired tobe acquired. The drop time is stored instead of the drop distance sothat the drop distance may be calculated based on the drop time at thetime of troubleshooting or repairs.

The power supply disconnecting process at step S5 in FIG. 3 isconcretely explained below. FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating the powersupply disconnecting process in the first embodiment. In FIG. 5, the subCPU 14 determines whether the power supply disconnecting function fordisconnecting the power supply of the device is effective when thedevice drops at step S51. The power supply disconnecting function is setas effective or ineffective in the following manner as one example. Forexample, when the setting button 20 a of the operating section 20 ispressed down, the sub CPU 14 instructs the main CPU 11 to display a menufor the main CPU 11 switching the power supply disconnecting functionbetween effective (first mode) and ineffective (second mode) on thedisplay section 8. When effective or ineffective is selected by thecursor button 20 b, the sub CPU 14 sets the power supply disconnectingfunction as effective or ineffective. The sub CPU 14 is a settingsection that selectively sets the first mode or the second mode.

In substitution for switching of the power supply disconnecting functionbetween effective and ineffective on the menu, for example, a switch isprovided between the drop sensor 13 and the sub CPU 14, and the switchmay switch whether or not a drop detected signal from the drop sensor 13is input into the sub CPU 14. Means for setting the power supplydisconnecting function to effective or ineffective is not limited to theabove.

The power supply disconnecting function can be switched betweeneffective and ineffective and step S51 is provided to the power supplydisconnecting process for the following reason.

For example, in the case where photographing is carried out while a usergets on a vehicle such as a roller coaster in an amusement part, thedrop sensor 13 as the acceleration sensor outputs a drop detected signalat the time of descending of the roller coaster although the device doesnot drop from a hand of the photographer (user). In this case, the powersupply of the device is disconnected, and photographing thereaftercannot be carried out. Therefore, a function for making the power supplydisconnecting function ineffective due to the drop is provided, so thatthe power supply of the device is disconnected only when the powersupply disconnecting function is effective. As a result, even if thedrop sensor 13 outputs a drop detected signal and the sub CPU 14 detectsthe drop of the device (the determination is made at step S1 in FIG. 3that the device is in the drop state), the power supply of the device isnot disconnected, and thus the photographing during the descending ofthe roller coaster or the like is enabled. According to this embodiment,in a situation where the device does not actually drop from the hand ofthe photographer in the case where the device is intentionally orunintentionally moved a lot, a false detection of the drop can beavoided.

In FIG. 5, when the power supply disconnecting function is effective atstep S51 (Yes), the sequence goes to step S52, and when ineffective(No), the power supply is not disconnected and the process is ended. Thesub CPU 14 rewrites the drop occurrence flag, which is stored in thenonvolatile memory 15 and represents whether the device has dropped,from “1” representing that the drop has not yet occurred into “0” thedrop has occurred. The sub CPU 14 is a writing section that writes dataabout a drop such as the drop occurrence flag into the nonvolatilememory 15.

The sub CPU 14 controls the regulator 12 so that the power source of themain section 100 is forcibly disconnected at step S53 and the processends. The regulator 12 stops the supply of the electric power to themain section 100 according to the cutting instruction of the powersupply by means of the instruction for disconnecting the power supplyfrom the sub CPU 14, and brings the main section 100 into an inoperablestate. The sub CPU 14 is a power supply control section that controlsswitching whether the electric power is supplied to the main section 100using the regulator 12.

When the power supply is disconnected, the magnetic head of the harddisc drive 4 is returned to a home position (shipping zone) as a refugearea other than the recording/reproducing area of the hard disc 40. Inthis embodiment, the power supply is disconnected by the drop detectingprocess in FIG. 3 and the power supply disconnecting process in FIG. 5before the hard disc drive 4 of the device receives any impact due tothe drop. This can prevent the magnetic head from bumping against therecording/reproducing area, and the hard disc 40 or the magnetic headfrom being damaged. Further, this can greatly reduce the possibility ofdamaging the hard disc 40 or the magnetic head.

The steps from the step at which the user presses down the power supplybutton 20 c so as to turn on the power supply of the device to the stepof going to the ordinary process are explained below. FIG. 6 is aflowchart illustrating the steps from the power activation to theordinary process in the first embodiment. The steps shown in FIG. 6 areexecuted both in the case where the sub CPU 14 in FIG. 5 detects thedrop of the device and disconnects the power supply of the device and inthe case where the user presses down the power supply button 20 c anddisconnects the power supply of the device. The steps shown in FIG. 6are executed by allowing the main CPU 11 and the sub CPU 14 tocooperate.

In FIG. 6, the sub CPU 14 determines whether the power supply button 20c has been pressed down at step S101. When the determination is madethat the power supply button 20 c has been pressed down (Yes), the subCPU 14 controls the regulator 12 so that the power supply of the deviceis turned on at step S102. When the determination is made that the powersupply button 20 c has not been pressed down (No), the sequence returnsto step S101. When the power supply is turned on, the main CPU 11 readsthe drop occurrence flag stored in the nonvolatile memory 15 via the subCPU 14 and determines whether the drop occurrence flag indicates “0” atstep S103. The main CPU 11 may read the drop occurrence flag directlyfrom the nonvolatile memory 15.

When the drop occurrence flag indicates “0” (Yes), the main CPU 11controls the character superimposing section 9 so that a message showingthat the power supply is disconnected due to the detection of the dropat step S104 on the display section 8. As a result, as shown in FIG. 7A,a sentence C01 “the drop detecting function is activated and the powersupply is cut” is displayed as one example on the display section 8. Thecharacter superimposing section 9 stores a plurality of characters suchas letters and symbols in a built-in table, and superimposes informationaccording to the instruction from the main CPU 11 on a video signaloutput from the switching section 7. The main CPU 11 is a displaycontrol section that controls the display section 8 so that variousinformation is displayed thereon.

When the message shown in FIG. 7A is displayed on the display section 8,the user can acknowledge the cause of the disconnecting of the powersupply. Since the user can understand the situation of the device thatthe device has been dropped and the power supply has been cut, the usercan use the device thereafter with ease.

The main CPU 11 returns the drop occurrence flag stored in thenonvolatile memory 15 to “1” via the sub CPU 14 at step S105. Theprocess for returning the drop occurrence flag to “1” does not have tobe executed just after the display in FIG. 7A and thus may be executedbefore going to the ordinary process.

When the drop occurrence flag does not indicate “0” at step S103 (No),the main CPU 11 determines whether the data recorded in the hard disc 40are damaged at step S106. When the determination is made that the dataare damaged (Yes), a determination is made at step S107 whether the datacan be restored. When the data are not damaged at step S106, thesequence goes to step S114. The damage of the data includes a case wherethe data are created but they are damaged and a case where the datawhich should be originally created cannot be created.

In the first embodiment, the file based on the SD-Video specificationsis recorded in the hard disc 40. In the case where the drop of thedevice is detected and the power supply to the main section 100 isforcibly disconnected, when the MOD file is recorded in the hard disc 40but the MOI file which are paired with the MOD file is not created andis not recorded in the hard disc 40, the file cannot be reproduced as afile based on the SD-Video specifications. However, the MOD file can bereproduced as a MPEG file. In this sense, the determination whether thedata can be restored at step S107 means the determination whether thefile can be saved as a MPEG file in the hard disc 40 although it cannotbe saved as a file based on the SD-Video specifications in the hard disc40.

When the determination is made that the data can be restored at stepS107 (Yes), the main CPU 11 controls the character superimposing section9 to display a message indicating that the data has been damaged andinquiring whether the damaged data is desirably be restored, on thedisplay section 8 at step S108. As a result, as shown in FIG. 7B, thesentence C02 “The management information file is damaged and accordinglyshould be restored to record and reproduce a moving image. Restore?” anda selection mark M01 for selecting whether to restore the file aredisplayed as one example on the display section 8. For example, any oneof “Yes” for selecting the restoration and “No” for selectingno-restoration is selected by the cursor button 20 b and is determinedby the setting button 20 a.

The main CPU 11 determines whether the instruction of restoration isreceived at step S109. When the instruction of restoration is received(namely, “Yes” is selected) (Yes), the restoring process is executed atstep S110. When the instruction of restoration is not received (namely,“No” is selected) (No), the sequence goes to step S114. The restoringprocess at step S109 includes a process of recording the MOD fileF_(MOD) without the MOI file F_(MOI) not in the folder 401 for recordingfiles based on the SD-Video specifications but in the folder 402 forstoring the MPEG files like the file F21 of FIG. 2. Only the MOD fileF_(MOD) recorded in the folder 402 cannot be reproduced as a file basedon the SD-Video specifications but can be reproduced as a MPEG file.

On the other hand, when the determination is made that the data cannotbe restored at step S107 (No), the main CPU 11 should re-format the harddisc 40 at step S111, and controls the character superimposing section 9to display on the display section 8 a message inquiring whether tore-format the hard disc 40. As a result, as shown in FIG. 7C, thesentence C03 “Re-formatting is necessary. Re-format? If re-formatted,all the data will be deleted.” and a selection mark M02 for selectingwhether to re-format the hard disc are displayed as one example on thedisplay section 8. The main CPU 11 determines whether the instruction ofre-formatting is received at step S112. When the instruction ofre-formatting is received (namely, “Yes” is selected) (Yes), there-formatting process is executed at step S113. When the instruction ofre-formatting is not received (namely, “No” is selected) (No), thesequence returns to step S112.

Since the device is not in a usable state without re-formatting, whenthe re-formatting is not instructed, the sequence returns to step S112.However, data that has been recorded cannot be occasionally deleted. Theselection “No” is, therefore, provided to the selection mark M02. InFIG. 6, when the instruction of re-formatting is not received at stepS112, the power supply of the device may be disconnected.

The steps S106 to S113 in FIG. 6 are executed not only in the case wherethe power supply is disconnected due to the drop of the device but alsoin the case where the user presses down the power supply button 20 c inthe normal use state to cut the power supply of the device. This isbecause even in the case where any data error occurs on the datarecorded in the hard disc 40 due to reasons other than the drop of thedevice, it is necessary to restore data and re-format the hard disc 40similarly. In the case where any failure occurs in the device, themessages shown in FIGS. 7B and 7C are displayed on the display section8. As a result, the user can easily understand the recording conditionof data (file) and the restoring method for the data, and accordinglythe convenience at the time of using the device is improved.

When the restoring process at step S110 or the re-formatting process atstep S113 is completed, the sequence goes to step S114. The main CPU 11brings the drop sensor 13 into the operating state via the sub CPU 14 atstep S114. In the case where the power supply to the main section 100 isdisconnected so that the main section 100 is in the inoperable state andonly the sub section 200 is in the operating state, the drop sensor 13is brought into a sleep state in order to reduce the power consumptionin the sub section 200. The drop sensor 13 is, therefore, activated soas to be in the operating state at step S114. The main CPU 11 and thesub CPU 14 execute the ordinary process including the drop detectingprocess of FIG. 2 at step S115. The ordinary process includes the dropdetecting process and also the process of performing normal operationssuch as recording, reproduction and the like to be carried out by therecording/reproducing device of FIG. 1.

With reference to FIG. 1, how to read the data saved in the nonvolatilememory 15 at the time of troubleshooting and inspection of the devicewill be explained. In FIG. 1, the main CPU 11 is connected to theinput/output interface 17. The inspection jig 21 is connected to theinput/output interface 17 at the time of troubleshooting and inspectionof the device, and a reading instruction signal for the data stored inthe nonvolatile memory 15 is supplied from the inspection jig 21 to themain CPU 11. The main CPU 11 reads the data relating to the drop storedin the nonvolatile memory 15 via the sub CPU 14, and supplies the datato the inspection jig 21 via the input/output interface 17. Similarly tothe drop occurrence flag, the main CPU 11 may directly read the numberof the times of the power supply disconnection due to the drop and thedata about drop history stored in the nonvolatile memory 15. When thedata about the drop stored in the nonvolatile memory 15 are read, thesituation in the device can be understood objectively as data.Accordingly, it becomes possible to carry out a troubleshooting and alsopursue any cause resulting in the failure.

The main CPU 11 is connected also to the infrared ray light-receivingsection 18. In the case where a remote control transmitter forinspection is used for the troubleshooting and the inspection, thereading instruction signal for the data stored in the nonvolatile memory15 may be supplied to the main CPU 11 via the infrared raylight-receiving section 18 by operating the remote control transmitter.In this case, the data about the drop stored in the nonvolatile memory15 may be displayed on the display section 8.

In the first embodiment, the disconnection of the power supply due tothe drop of the device, the destruction of the management informationfile, and the necessity of the re-formatting are displayed as visualinformation on the display section 8. However, messages similar to themessages shown in FIGS. 7A to 7C may be output as audio signals (audioinformation). In another method, a warning sound for impressing the useron that the visual information is displayed on the display section 8 maybe generated. In these cases, the main CPU 11 controls the audiosynthesizing section 22 to generate an audio signal and supply thegenerated audio signal to a speaker 24 via an amplifier 23. The audiosynthesizing section 22 is provided independent upon the main CPU 11,but the main CPU 11 may contain an audio synthesizing program.

Second Embodiment

FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating the recording/reproducing deviceaccording to a second embodiment of the present invention. In the secondembodiment of the present invention, the recording/reproducing devicehaving an imaging lens is constituted so that a damage of the imaginglens is prevented when the device is dropped. Also in the secondembodiment, a camcorder is an example of the recording/reproducingdevice. The present invention is not limited to the camcorder, and canbe applied also to still cameras (digital cameras) that photograph astill image and records/reproduces the still image. In the secondembodiment shown in FIG. 8, the constitution that prevents the damage ofthe imaging lens is added to the constitution of the first embodimentshown in FIG. 1. In FIG. 8, the same reference numerals are assigned tothe same portions in the second embodiment as the portions in the firstembodiment and explanation of common portions will be omitted herein.

In FIG. 8, a lens cover 32 is provided to a front surface of the imaginglens 31 (the object side). In FIG. 8, the lens cover 32 is in a closestate, namely, the lens cover 32 covers the imaging lens 31. In thestate that the power of the main section 100 is turned on andphotographing and recording are enabled, the lens cover 32 isautomatically brought into the open state as mentioned later. In thestate that the lens cover 32 is opened, a light signal from the objectis condensed by the imaging lens 31 so as to be input into the imagingelement 1 of the imaging section 3.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a portion of the second embodiment indetail. As shown in FIG. 9, the lens cover 32 has a disc portion 32 afor covering the imaging lens 31, and an arm portion 32 b which isconnected to the disc portion 32 a. The arm portion 32 b is connected toa motor 33 which can rotate in normal and reverse directions. The lenscover 32 is brought into in any one of the close state for covering theimaging lens 31 shown by a solid line and the open state shown by abroken line where the lens cover 32 turns about 90° with respect to theclose state so as to uncover the imaging lens 31 by driving the motor 33in the normal or reverse direction.

In FIGS. 8 and 9, similarly to the first embodiment, when the sub CPU 14detects that the device is in the drop state and the device has droppedfor a predetermined distance based on the detected output from the dropsensor 13, the sub CPU 14 instructs a motor driver 34 to actuate themotor 33 and close the lens cover 32 which has been in the open state.The motor driver 34, which receives the instruction for closing the lenscover 32, drives the motor 33 so as to bring the lens cover 32 into theclose state. The motor 33 and the motor driver 34 are a driving sectionthat drives the lens cover 32.

FIGS. 10 and 11 are flowcharts for explaining the operation according tothe second embodiment.

With reference to FIG. 10, the cooperation between theturning-on/disconnecting of the electric supply to the device by meansof the power supply button 20 c and the open/close operation of the lenscover 32 will be explained below with reference to FIG. 10. In FIG. 10,the sub CPU 14 determines whether the power supply button 20 c ispressed down at step S201. When the determination is made that the powersupply button 20 c is pressed down (Yes), the sub CPU 14 instructs themotor driver 34 to open the lens cover 32 which has been in the closestate. The sub CPU 14 controls the regulator 12 at step S203 so that thepower supply of the device is turned on. When the determination is madethat the power supply button 20 c is not pressed down at step S201 (No),the sequence returns to step S101. In the second embodiment, the lenscover 32 is brought into the open state in cooperation with theinstruction for turning on the power supply of the device from the user.The order of the steps S202 and S203 may be reversed.

After the power supply of the device is turned on and the device isbrought into the operating state, the sub CPU 14 determines whether thepower supply button 20 c is pressed down at step S204. When the sub CPU14 determines that the power supply button 20 c is pressed down (Yes),it controls the regulator 12 so that the power supply of the device isdisconnected at step S205. The sub CPU 14 instructs the motor driver 34to close the lens cover 32 which has been in the open state and ends theprocess at step S206. When the sub CPU 14 determines that the powersupply button 20 c is not pressed at step S204 (No), the sequencereturns to step S204. In the second embodiment, the lens cover 32 isbrought into the close state in cooperation with the instruction forcutting the power supply of the device from the user. The order of thesteps S205 and S206 may be reversed.

The process of bringing the lens cover 32 into the close state incooperation with the detection of the device drop will be explainedbelow with reference to FIG. 11. As mentioned before, in the secondembodiment shown in FIG. 8, the constitution that prevents the damage ofthe imaging lens is added to the constitution of the first embodimentshown in FIG. 1. For this reason, the process of disconnecting the powersupply of the device is also executed in cooperation with the detectionof the device drop explained with reference to FIG. 3, but only theprocess of preventing the damage of the imaging lens with the lens cover32 being in the close state is illustrated and is explained.

In FIG. 11, the sub CPU 14 determines whether the device is in the dropstate based on the detected output from the drop sensor 13 at step S301.When the detected output from the drop sensor 13 is not more than apredetermined threshold value which is approximately zero, the sub CPU14 determines that the device is in the drop state. When thedetermination is made that the device is not in the drop state (No), thesequence returns to step S301. When the determination is made that thedevice is in the drop state at step S301 (Yes), the sub CPU 14 allowsthe counter 16 to count the time from the starting of the drop state atstep S302, so as to start the measurement of the drop time. Thereafter,the sub CPU 14 determines whether the drop of the device stopped withinthe time corresponding to a predetermined distance, for example, 20 cmbased on the value counted by the counter 16 at step S303. When the subCPU 14 determines that the drop of the device stopped within the timecorresponding to 20 cm at step S303 (Yes), the process is ended. Whenthe sub CPU 14 determines that the drop of the device did not stopwithin the time corresponding to 20 cm at step S303 (No), the sequencegoes to step S304.

The sub CPU 14 determines whether the device dropped for the timecorresponding to 20 cm based on the value counted by the counter 16 atstep S304. When the sub CPU 14 determines that the device has not yetdropped for the time corresponding to 20 cm at step S304 (No), thesequence returns to step S304. When the sub CPU 14 determines that thedevice has dropped for the time corresponding to 20 cm (Yes), thesequence goes to step S305. As to the function of bringing the lenscover 32 into the close state in cooperation with the drop of the device(lens cover automatic close control function), “effective” or“ineffective” can be selected by selecting on a menu. The sub CPU 14determines whether the lens cover automatic close control function iseffective at step S305. When the sub CPU 14 determines that the functionis effective (Yes), it instructs the motor driver 34 to close the lenscover 32 and end the process. When the sub CPU 14 determines that thefunction is not effective (No), it ends directly the process.

It should be understood that many modifications and adaptations of theinvention will become apparent to those skilled in the art and it isintended to encompass such obvious modifications and changes in thescope of the claims appended hereto.

1. A recording/reproducing device that records or reproducesinformation, comprising: a hard disc drive that records the information;a display section; a power supply that supplies an electric power to thehard disc drive so as to bring the recording/reproducing device into anoperating state; a power supply button that gives instructions forturning on and disconnecting the power supply; a drop sensor thatdetects a drop of the recording/reproducing device; a time countingsection that counts a total drop time from a time at which the dropsensor detects the drop of the recording/reproducing device to a time atwhich the drop stops based on a drop detected signal from the dropsensor; a power supply control section that, when the time countingsection counts a predetermined time or more for which therecording/reproducing device drops, controls the power supply so thatthe electric power to be supplied to the hard disc drive is forciblydisconnected and the recording/reproducing device is brought into aninoperable state; a memory; a writing section that, when the powersupply control section forcibly disconnects the electric power to besupplied to the hard disc drive, writes into the memory a flagrepresenting that the electric power is forcibly disconnected and dataabout the drop including the total drop time or a drop distancecalculated based on the total drop time; and a display control sectionthat, when the power supply button is pressed down by a user's operationto turn on the power supply and the flag is written into the memory,controls the display section so that information showing that the powersupply is disconnected due to the drop of the recording/reproducingdevice is displayed thereon, wherein when the recording/reproducingdevice continues to drop after the electric power to be supplied to thehard disc drive is disconnected, the time counting section counts thetotal drop time including a drop time after the electric power isdisconnected.
 2. The recording/reproducing device according to claim 1,wherein the writing section writes into the memory a drop historyincluding a pair of a drop date and the total drop time or the dropdistance, as data about the drop.
 3. The recording/reproducing deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein the writing section writes into the memorythe number of disconnection times of the power supply due to the drop ofthe recording/reproducing device, as data about the drop.
 4. Therecording/reproducing device according to claim 1, further comprising asetting section that selectively sets a first mode that makes theforcible disconnection of the electric power to be supplied to the harddisc drive by the power supply control section effective or a secondmode that makes it ineffective.
 5. A recording/reproducing device thatrecords or reproduces information, comprising: a recording/reproducingsection that records the information; a file creating section thatcreates a file with a predetermined format where an actual data filecontaining video data is pared with a management information file asmanagement information of the actual data file; a file recordingmanagement section that is provided with a first folder for storing thefile with the predetermined format and a second folder for storinganother file as folders to be used for recording the information in therecording/reproducing section, and manages files to store the file withthe predetermined format in the first folder when the file withpredetermined format is recorded in the recording/reproducing section; apower supply that supplies an electric power to therecording/reproducing section, the file creating section and the filerecording management section so as to bring the recording/reproducingdevice into an operating state; a power supply button that givesinstructions for turning on and disconnecting the power supply; a dropsensor that detects a drop of the recording/reproducing device; a timecounting section that, when the drop sensor detects the drop of therecording/reproducing device based on a drop detected signal, counts adrop time; and a power supply control section that, when the timecounting section counts a predetermined time or more for which therecording/reproducing device drops, controls the power supply so thatthe electric power to be supplied to the recording/reproducing section,the file creating section and the file recording management section isforcibly disconnected, and the recording/reproducing device is broughtinto an inoperable state, wherein after the power supply is turned on bypressing the power supply button according to a user's operation so thatthe recording/reproducing device is brought into the operating state,when the management information file to be pared with the actual datafile created at the time of forcibly disconnecting the electric power isnot normally created, the file recording management section manages therecording of the file so that the actual data file is stored in thesecond folder.
 6. The recording/reproducing device according to claim 5,wherein the actual data file is an MOD file based on an SD-Videospecifications, and the management information file is an MOI file basedon the SD-Video specifications.